Ten Things To Have In Your Outdoor Emergency Kit

Now that spring is here, we can all get outside and begin to enjoy the outdoors. We love to play at the park, explore hiking trails and play in nearby riverbeds. When you are away from home and you have kids, it is especially important to have the right supplies on hand in case of an emergency. For my family, it is even more important because we are a bunch of klutzes! I could trip over a a completely flat surface and end up in a cast for 3 months. My daughter is the same way and she has been in the ER more times than both my other kids combined. If you do not have an outdoor emergency kit, you really should. Here is a great checklist of things to have:

10 Must Haves For Your Outdoor Emergency Kit

Flashlight: A good, strong flashlight is a must have in your outdoor emergency kit. You should always have one with you when you are hiking or out after dark. Also be sure to have back up batteries for your flashlight.

Hand Sanitizer: You should never begin to treat a wound with dirty hands. We cannot always be near soap and water, so hand sanitizer will do the trick.

Poison Ivy Wash: If you are camping, hiking or walking in the park, the chances of getting poison ivy are pretty high. My son is highly allergic and we learned the hard way to always have this on hand.

Cold And Hot Packs: If you fall and have a possible sprain, a cold or hot pack is something you need in your kit to treat the swelling. I have a bad back, so the hot pack is great in case I have a muscle spasm when I am away from home.

Scissors: Scissors are not just for cutting a bandage. You can also use them to cut clothing away from a wound or a branch, to cut rope or open medication.

Tweezers: If you get a stinger, a splinter or debris in a wound, a pair of tweezers is what you need to remove the object.

Antihistamines: I am allergic to bees, so an antihistamine is a must have for my first aid kit. It is also great for poison ivy, mosquito bites and other instances where swelling may occur.

Saline Solution: If you get something in your eye, saline solution is the best way to remove it.

Safety Pin or Straight Pins: In addition to holding a sling, bandage or wrap in place, a safety pin or a few straight pins can also lance wounds and remove items more deeply embedded in a wound.

Wound Care Cleaner: If you get a scrape, a cut or a more serious wound, you need a good product to clean it. The last thing you want to get in a wound is a serious infection. One OTC product which works on cleaning a wound and keeping it protected from the most serious of infections are the products from Puracyn.

As a nurse, I know the importance of acting quickly to treat a wound. I have seen more cases of the extremely serious MRSA and VRE virus strains. I have seen people who were admitted to the hospital for weeks to eliminate these highly resistant strains from their body. All it takes is a small cut for the bacteria to get into the body and wreak havoc. When Caitlin cut her foot in our creek and had to have 8 stitches, we were told how important it was that I cleaned it immediately and protected it before we left for the hospital. If I had the Puracyn products in the house at that time, I would have been able to clean and protect that wound quickly, safely and virtually painlessly.

The products from Puracyn are easy to use, is a one-step cleaner and protector of your wounds and is even safe to use around your mouth and eyes. It speeds up the healing of minor wounds like cuts, scrapes and burns. Chris burned his arm on the stove and after using the Puracyn for just 2 days, it was almost completely healed. It is non toxic, kills germs and contains no alcohol, antibiotics or steroids. You can purchase the Puracyn in the spray liquid, Hydrogel and the Foot Wash. They come in sizes 2 ounces to 16 ounces and range in price from $24-35 and can be purchased from the Puracyn website, Walgreens, Rite Aid and other retailers who sell wound care products

We were also sent a bottle of Vetericyn which is a topical spray for wounds and skin irritations in animals. It can be used to treat cuts, scrapes, hot spots, rashes, burned, skin ulcers, sores and eye and ear irritations. It can be used safely on all species of animals of all ages. The Vetericyn products are available in the Wound Care, Eye Care, Ear Care and Super 7 + Naval Dip and prices range from $18-$37. You can purchase the Vetericyn products from their website as well as many pet retailers, which can be found through the online store locator. One USA reader will win $50 of Puracyn products.